TRUE OR FALSE!!!!!

I want to take a look at the myth’s the Town Council has been told about the Lisbon Communication Center.

 

1.    The phone number to call in an emergency is 353-2500. 

The correct phone number to call in an emergency is 911.  911 is the official state number to report all emergencies.  By using 353-2500, causes a delay in reporting emergencies to the Lisbon Communication Center and delays the dispatching of First Responders.

 

This is false because 911 is the correct number to report all emergencies.

 

2.   All 911 calls go to the Lisbon Communication Center.

 

All 911 calls for the Lisbon/Durham area go directly to the Androscoggin County Dispatch.  The County Dispatchers login in the call to the state NEXGEN911 system.  If it is a medical emergency, they gather addition information to create an Emergency Medial Code to be passed on to First Responders to expedite treatment and to increase chances of survival.  Once this is completed, Lisbon Communication Center is notified, if the County can get through, by using 353-2500.  Once the information is passed to the Lisbon Communication Center, First Responders are dispatched to the scene.

 

This is false because the County has to notify Lisbon Communication Center once they receive the 911 information.  Absolutely no 911 calls go directly to the Lisbon Communication Center.

 

3.    Dispatchers need to be familiar with the Lisbon/Durham area.

 

There is absolute no need for Dispatchers to be familiar with the area they support.  There are several reasons for this:  (1) the equipment in Androscoggin County Dispatch pinpoint calls as they are received on computer screens.  Dispatchers can watch as first responders arrive on the scene and remain on the line with them to direct response.  These computers have maps with streets and building on them so it is easy to identify locations.  Lisbon Communication Center does not have this equipment available to them; 2.  Androscoggin County Dispatchers normally dispatch local first responders who are very familiar with the area they are responsible for; 3.  Were Lisbon Dispatchers familiar with Greene and Turner when Lisbon dispatched for them and the answer is no so the same principle apply.

 

This is false because the Androscoggin County Dispatch has equipment to identify location of callers and is able to direct first responders to the scene more quickly.

 

4.    The Lisbon Communication Center has an excellent record when it comes to dispatching first responders.

 

This is another play on words.  The fact is response time is started the moment the Lisbon Communication Center receives notification.  However, as it has been recorded, Androscoggin County Dispatch has had problems getting through to the Lisbon Communication Center because 353-2500 is busy.  This is a major problem because if the Androscoggin County Dispatchers could notify our first responders directly this would eliminate all problems when it comes to response time.  First Responders are dispatched as soon as they are notified.

 

This is true and false because it depends on how you spin it.  The response time begins when the First Responders are notified.  This response time could be identical if everything was equal but in Lisbon/Durham everything is NOT equal.  Androscoggin County Dispatchers have got to notify Lisbon Communication Center prior to First Responders being dispatched.  They are numerous times when Lisbon Communication Center could not be reached because 353-2500 was busy.

 

So providing the above FACTS how is it possible that the Lisbon Communication Center remaining open is in the best interest of the community and its citizens?  Chief Brooks has used deception, intimidation, and misquotes to the Town Council in order to keep the Lisbon Communication Center open.  Taxpayers are being forced to pay, in 2016-2017, $339,948.00 for a system that puts their lives at risk.  Previous Councilors did some research and determined that closing the Lisbon Communication Center would save the taxpayers approximately $190,000.00 annually if the town contracted with the Androscoggin County Dispatch.  However, this project was stopped after the dog and pony show orchestrated by Chief Brooks’s using uninformed people to influence the Council.  The transfer to Androscoggin County Dispatch cannot be like throwing a switch and you have dispatching.  The County has a lot to do and will take roughly 3-6 months to complete.  However the technology is there and they are willing to accept Lisbon.  Every day that goes by cost the taxpayers $931.36 so it is important that the town get started right away.  Once switched over it will only cost taxpayers roughly $520.55 a day for dispatching. 

 

Can anyone in their right mind tell me why Chairman Roger Bickford and the remaining Town Council wants to waited until November to get started?  I know that Chairman Bickford wants the people to make this decision but it is going to be a NON-BINDING vote and we all know what that means.

 

We need to stop wasting tax dollars and do what is right for the community NOW instead of our friends.

 

Larry Fillmore